Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Andrew B. Birge, announced the sentencing of Willie David Lark, aged 53, from Benton Harbor, Michigan. Lark has received a 25-year prison sentence for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base. According to U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker, Lark has engaged in "crimes of escalating seriousness" dating back to his first drug-related conviction in the 1990s.
Lark, previously convicted of drug trafficking, served over two decades in state prison for assault with intent to murder. After his release, Lark resumed drug dealing activities. A search of Lark's home led investigators to discover over 188 grams of pure methamphetamine, over 100 grams of a fentanyl and xylazine mixture, over 70 grams of cocaine, and over 31 grams of cocaine base, indicating his intent to sell these drugs. When police later approached him for arrest, he possessed additional fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine.
A federal grand jury charged and convicted Lark in December 2024 with two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Lawton of the Drug Enforcement Administration stated, "Multiple offenders, such as Willie Lark, willingly put lives at risk throughout Michigan and, more specifically, Berrien County." He assured that the DEA remains committed to bringing such drug traffickers to justice to ensure community safety.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control indicates that in 2023, at least 107,543 people died from drug poisoning in the United States, with fentanyl accounting for approximately 75% of these deaths. While the number of deaths has started to decline in 2024, they remain significant.
For individuals experiencing addiction or their friends and loved ones, support is available through various services such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Helpline and many local organizations providing harm reduction services.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Michigan State Police, and Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin J. Hakes prosecuting. The case was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, established to tackle major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
